dip belts feature

Are you looking for the best dip belts of 2022?

Well… you’ve come to the right place!

Dips and pull ups are great upper bodyweight exercises for building muscle and strength.

Without a belt to add extra weight to your dips or pullups, you are limited to your body weight alone.  If you perform them regularly, you will soon find that you can easily lift your own body weight. 

This is when you will require a dip belt to add resistance and to make progress.  In this case, you will want a reliable, comfortable and durable belt.

Here we have some of the best dip belts for weighted exercises in the market today and we cover the many aspects to consider before buying.

dips with chains in the gym

A dipping belt is worn around the waist but in a lower position than a normal powerlifting belt. It usually features a chain to which barbell weights are attached, making it hang off the hips.

By attaching weights, the overall body weight is increased thus making bodyweight exercises such as tricep dips and pull-ups more demanding.

These are great for the muscular development of the triceps, especially in the higher range of reps. Dips are also regularly used as an exercise to support powerlifting. In this case, a lower range of reps is used (around 4-8 reps).

These weightlifting accessories are often utilized to perform weighted dips on dip stations in the gym or portable dip bars in the home.

Since these are known to be some of the best exercises to increase strength and size in their given muscle groups, by the increasing amount of weight moved with a belt, you will have some of the most powerful exercises available.

Following our testing and research, we can reveal below our selection of the best dip belts:

Top 12 Dip Belts

 RatingDip Belt Review
#1Brute belt
4.9 out of 5 stars
Brute Nylon Dip BeltClick For Brute Belt PriceBest overall and for versatility
#2IronMind belt
4.4 out of 5 stars
IronMind De Rigueur Dipping BeltClick For Ironmind Belt PriceBest for heavy lifts
#3Harbinger belt
4 out of 5 stars
Harbinger Polypropylene Weight Dip BeltClick For Harbinger Belt PriceGreat quality and good for beginners
#4MIR belt
3.4 out of 5 stars
MIR Dip BeltClick For MIR Belt PriceGood budget belt for dips
#5Champion belt
3.2 out of 5 stars
Champion Heavy Duty Leather Dip BeltClick For Champion Belt PriceBest real leather dip belt

#1 – Best For Versatility – Brute Nylon Dip Beltbrute-dipping-belt

This is probably the best dipping belt that we can come across and also the most comfortable belt for dips that we have ever tried.

It features a patented technology to maintain its durability while still feeling nice on the back. The materials, such as the nylon strap and reinforced stitching, are military-grade and it will easily hold 270lbs of weight.

It comes with options of black or camouflage (our particular favorite) and is also versatile enough that it can be used for other exercises such as weight sled training.  Plus, it is suitable for vegans.

There is no break-in period for this as it is constructed from different high-quality materials to a leather dip belt. These make it very lightweight and easy on the back and hips.

When using this, we found that is easier to concentrate fully on the exercise and your performance rather than on the belt which is a great thing.

Its light weight means that it does not feel like it needs to be taken off for other exercises either.

So if you switch between exercises a lot such as with supersets, this is great. The weights can also be quickly added and removed to aid this.

We also found the additional hoops around the belt particularly useful for other tasks like weight sled training.  It also comes with a 60-day manufacturer’s warranty. All in all, this is a great, strong and comfortable belt with many uses, not just for dipping.

Click For Brute Belt Price

  • Extreme versatility with 8 loops so anything can be attached from whatever area of the belt that you please
  • Great build quality.  This belt will take a serious beating
  • Can support 6 20kg plates for dips and pullups

#2 – Best For Heavy Lifting – IronMind De Rigueur Dipping BeltIronMind dipping belt

This is the strongest dip belt we have ever seen! It features IronMind’s patented Wicked-Strong technology and is capable of lifting over 1000lbs.

This insane strength makes it a great belt for not only your usual tricep dips, pull ups and squats, but also dragging. If you want to drag a small car that is!

We tested the De Rigueur with 200lbs attached and it easily passed the test without breaking a sweat.

Also, it’s worth noting with this additional weight attached it was very easy on the back and hips. This isn’t a big heavy belt either as it’s compact and lightweight design makes it easy to fold away into a gym bag.

This is perfect for powerlifters, advanced lifters, or those that want peace of mind that their belt won’t break.

Click For Ironmind Belt Price

  • The strongest dip belt on the market
  • Will last a lifetime
  • Lightweight and compact given its strength

#3 – Best For Beginners – Harbinger Polypropylene Weight Dip BeltHarbinger dipping belt

The Harbinger belt has a more classic weighted dip belt design featuring a chain in which the weight plates are attached to.

This is a proven design that has been tried and tested since the appearance of dip belts.

The belt is made from a tough polypropylene material that is thick and rigid at first but soon adapts with some wear.  The metal chain and clip system make it quick and easy to attach and remove weights and it is still fairly comfortable when lifting heavier weights (150lb+).

To summarise, this is a very sturdy polypropylene dip belt for its price.

Click For Harbinger Belt Price

  • Easy-to-use clip and steel chain
  • Great value for money
  • Tapered design for back support and comfort

#4 – Best On A Budget – MIR Dipping BeltMIR weighted dip belt

This is a very good dip belt for those on a budget.  Its specification is quite similar to our #3 belt, the Harbinger but is not quite as comfortable or thick.

The weight that it can support (500lbs) is good for its price tag.  Again, this features a contoured taper design like the Harbinger dip belt.

Click For MIR Belt Price

  • Best dip belt on a budget
  • Can support 500lbs
  • Great build quality for the price

#5 – Best Real Leather – Champion Heavy Duty Dip beltChampion Heavy Duty Dip belt

As you can see from this article, there are quite a few choices when it comes to selecting the right weighted exercise belt for you.  The Champion belt is another contender for some of the best.

Being a well-manufactured leather dip belt with a chain, this will certainly last a very long time.

Apart from the Brute Belt mentioned earlier, this is also the most comfortable on our list.  So whilst being nice to feel, the leather is also very strong.

We highly recommend this to anyone wanting a comfortable, heavy-duty and long-lasting dip belt.

Click For Champion Belt Price

  • Made from real leather
  • Extremely comfortable even with a heavy mass attached
  • Very strong and will last a long time

#6 –  Rogue Dip beltrogue fitness

Rogue is a very popular brand in the CrossFit and fitness world. You can actually see this belt in use at the CrossFit games.

The Rogue dip belt is manufactured from a 3″ wide nylon with heavy-duty stitching that makes it feel sturdy even with a heavy load attached. It also has 2 color options available, black or yellow.

The chain is made from 1/4″ wide steel and is rated at 400lbs. A nice benefit of this is that has 2x carabiner clips that allow for easy adjustment. Most belts only have 1.

Click For Rogue Dip Belt Price

  • Reliable brand
  • 400lbs load rating
  • 2 carabiner clips
  • 2 color options

#7 – DMoose Fitness Dip BeltDMoose

The DMoose Fitness dip belt is a comfortable choice. This is due to its wide contoured back and padding is thicker than most other weight belts.

It is available in some interesting colors including a US flag design, blue and gray camo.

The chain on the DMoose dip belt is slightly longer than most other belts at 36″ allowing space for plenty of big plates. It can also take up to 225lbs in weight making it suitable for most lifters.

Click For DMoose Fitness Belt Price

  • 225lbs load rating
  • Reinforced carabiner clips and D-rings
  • Longer chain than other belts

#8 – Dark Iron Fitness Leather Dip BeltDark Iron Fitness

The Dark Iron Fitness dip belt is one of the few dip belts made from leather. It features a nylon strap rather than a traditional chain-link system.

The belt also fastens at the front, to stop it from falling off. This is something not common in dip belts. But it is one size fits all.

Even without a chain, it is strong enough to hold an impressive 270lbs. I particularly like the combination of leather, dark red stitching, and lack of chain that gives it a sleek and unique appearance.

It is also comfortable to use thanks to its padded leather.

Click For Dark Iron Fitness Dip Belt Price

  • Comfortable to use
  • No chain
  • Straps together at the front so it won’t fall off

#9 – Spud BeltSpud belt

Spud is known for creating heavy-duty products and the Spud belt is designed for heavy weights. It’s rated at 500lbs and made in the USA.

It features a large rear 6″ pad to disperse the weight for comfortable lifting.

It has super high-quality construction from durable webbing material. The manufacturer claims that it won’t break, no matter how much weight you add.

The Spud black belt comes with a 24″ inch chain and 2 carabiner clips. Alternatively, If you’re looking for something to handle seriously heavy hip belt squats, check out the stronger Spud squat belt.

Click For Spud Belt Price

  • Heavy load rating
  • Shorter chain
  • 2 carabiner clips

#10 – Rip Toned Dip BeltRip Toned

The Rip Toned dip belt is comfortable and easy-to-use. It’s also endorsed by professional powerlifter Kevin Weiss.

It has a tapered design that is contoured to the body. it is also available in a few different color combinations.

The belt is well-suited for those who just want a standard dip belt. It does the job but doesn’t really have anything unique about it.

So it’s a slightly more affordable belt suitable for those on a budget or who don’t want anything fancy.

Click For Rip Toned Dip Belt Price

  • 200lbs capacity
  • 36″ chain
  • Straps together at the front so it wont fall off

#11 – Iron Bull Strength BeltIron Bull Strength

The Iron Bull Strengh belt is unique because it has 3 anchor points rather than the traditional 2. This makes it versatile and suitable for sled pulling and it is made from neoprene.

It also uniquely doesn’t feature a chain and has a velcro closing mechanism. It doesn’t sit on the hips open like most other dip belts.

This mechanism means that it is not one size fits all and you need to measure your midsection to get the correct size.

One concern with this belt is that the manufacturer does not state maximum weight capacity.

Click For Iron Bull Strength Belt Price

  • Comfortable to use
  • No chain
  • Velcros together like a weightlifting belt

#12 – RIMSports BeltRIMSports

The RIMSports dip belt with a chain is one of the cheaper belts here. There are 2 versions of this belt, named version I and version II.

It is made from premium cotton and has a particularly wide back, making it comfortable to use. The belt is also available in a few different styles.

The RIMSports belt also has an exceptionally long chain at 38″. The longer chain makes it suitable for lifting larger weights or other items such as kettlebells.

Click For RIMSports Dip Belt Price

  • Long 38 inch steel chain
  • Made from cotton with back padding
  • Large D-rings

Using A Dip Belt

Pecs and Tricep Dips

As the name suggests, a dipping belt is used to make dip exercises more challenging.  Once you are in a position where you can perform these workouts easily, it’s time to use a weight belt if you want to continue to progress and gain the benefits.

For the pectorals and triceps, a classic tricep dip is usually performed with the belt around the waist and weight hanging between the legs.  For loading, it is a good idea to begin with %10 of your body weight.

Chin Ups and Pull Ups

Chin ups or pull ups are performed in the usual pull up fashion from a bar suspended above with a narrow underhand grip or wide grip at about shoulder width.

Both of these work the back muscles (mostly the lats) with the narrow grip having more impact on the biceps.  Many people struggle with this exercise without a dipping belt, so if you are adding a belt to this exercise, you are doing well.

With the belt loaded with weights, you should hold the bar with your chosen grip and hang with the arms straight.  At this point, the weight plates should be dangling between the legs attached to the belt.

Then bend your arms to pull yourself up until your chin is at the point of the bar.  Then slowly return to the start position and repeat.

Squats

Another less-known use of the dipping belt is for lower body exercises such as squats or hip-belt squats.  This is a leg exercise but without the forces acting on the back as is associated with normal squats.

You attach weights to the belt which are usually smaller in diameter to allow for more movement.  Then with your feet at a shoulder width distance apart, you lower yourself like in a regular squat.

When your legs hit the 90-degree angle (parallel), you slowly raise yourself up to a standing position and repeat.

Safety

For heavy lifters, it’s important to consider the maximum load of the weight belt which varies between manufacturers.  Also, warm-up sets without a belt are important before putting on a dip belt and performing weighted sets.

Getting The Correct Belt For Weighted Dips

Dip belts are pretty simple so there’s not an overwhelming amount to consider when choosing the right one. Pretty much the best dip belts will support the amount of weight that we need to lift and should also be comfortable to wear.

Adjustability is a good feature but many belts will also just hang off the hips which is perfectly fine.

Dipping Belt Material

Most of these belts are leather. If you get a good quality belt, it can last you for a very long time, just like any other weight lifting belt. Now, many more recent belts are constructed from synthetic materials such as the Brute Belt.

These are just as good as a leather weightlifting dip belt and are often more comfortable but there is sometimes a chance that the materials are not as hard-wearing, hence will not last quite as long.

Weight Belt Sizing

Most belts for dipping are one size fits all but there are some belts that have options for adjustment to make the weight belt fit correctly.

But the basic concept for the majority of them is that they go around back. When weights are attached, gravity causes it to then hang off the hips.

This way, the belt isn’t tight but it also does not fall off during exercises and this also removes the need for specific sizes.

Dip Belt Chains

Most of these dip belts feature a chain that is passed through the center of the barbell weights and then attaches back to the belt. These chains can sometimes vary in length depending on the belt.

It’s worth considering the length of the chain depending on where you intend to do your dips. If you perform dips on a raised platform you can have a longer chain.

However, if you do your dips lower to the ground a shorter chain is required. With the correct tools, it is possible to just adjust the length of the chain, or wrap it around the weights.

Also, at the end of the chain is usually a carabiner clip. On the cheaper belts, this tends to bend over time and so is the first thing that often needs replacing. So be sure to check that your choice has good quality steel carabiners.

How Should A Good Dipping Belt Last?

I purchased my current good old faithful dipping belt well over 5 years ago and it is still going strong and still often used.

best dip belt

Unfortunately, the manufacturer no longer makes these but it goes to show how selecting the correct belt will last you a very long time.

belt clip

Here you can see that the carabiner clip which attaches the chain to the end of the belt has bent slightly over the years of abuse.  However, this is the only sign of strain on this old belt.

How To Use A Dip Belt

Using a dip belt is very simple, you just need to thread the chain through the middle of the barbell weights.

But there are a few different ways of putting on a weight belt and it all depends on your preference.

Weights On First

In order to put your dip belt in this way, you have to first past the chain through the middle of your dumbbells which you are going to use for this set. Then you reattach the clip back to the belt, forming a complete circle with the weights attached to the belts.

Next, you step into the belt while it is on the floor. Crouch down so that it can reach your waist without the weights be lifted from the floor.

Then you pull the back section of the weight up to your hips. This is where your dip belt will be worn.

After this, you slowly stand up lifting weights off the floor and you have successfully put on your dip belt.

Belt On First

This is a generally quick way of putting your dip belt on First you usually need to unhook the clip from one end of the chain. It’s a good idea to have the weights on their side, leaning against your leg or a wall as you crouch down next to them.

Then, whilst holding the belts around your waist with one hand, you pass the chain through the belts with the other hand. Then you reattach to chain to the belt and slowly stand up while lifting the weights of the floor.

Then you have your dip belt on.

Alternatives To Using a Dipping Belt

There are some alternatives to using a dipping belt to add resistance to your tricep dip and pull-up exercises.

Weighted Backpack

It’s possible to use a backpack filled with weights as an alternative to a belt for weighted dips. However, there are some downsides to this:

  • Limited to how many you can fit in the backpack
  • The backpack will eventually break i.e the stitching will give somewhere
  • Can be difficult to put a backpack on with a high volume of weight in it.  Often a buddy is needed to put weights in while it is on your back.
  • You will look like a weirdo in the gym

Dumbbells Between Legs

You can also hold a dumbbell between your legs as you perform tricep dips or pullups. It is common to see people doing this, but again this does have some downsides:

  • You can usually only hold a single dumbbell
  • It takes practice to be able to hold the weight between your legs
  • It can be difficult to hold onto the weights for a long period of time

Conclusion

So it is clear from our list that there are a lot of different types of dip belts on the market and quite a few things to consider.  The best dip belt will be one that allows you to add the necessary amount of weight safely while still being comfortable to wear.

There is a wide range such as the Brute which has a number of alternative functions to just only dipping and there are more basic versions with a chain too.

But at the end of the day, most people are looking for a belt that fits the above criteria.

We hope that this buying guide has been helpful for readers hoping to find the best weight dip belt for their sport or bodybuilding goals.  If you have any comments or questions, feel free to add them below.

Also, if you used a different weighted dip belt or have a weight belt for dips that you are particularly fond of, we would love to hear your opinion also.